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Sports digest: NHL, players association meet in Toronto, but two sides have no comment

Associated Press

Posted:
10/05/2012 08:25:51 PM PDT

Updated:
10/05/2012 10:16:13 PM PDT

The NHL and players association resumed labor talks Friday on the 20th day of the lockout.

"We met with the Union today in Toronto," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an email. "We are supposed to touch base over the weekend. Nothing more to report."

The meeting took place a day after the NHL canceled the first two weeks of the regular season, wiping out 82 games from Oct. 11-24.

ESPN will stream Kontinental Hockey League games online during the lockout. The network plans to broadcast at least seven games on ESPN3 in October. Also, Tuesday's game between Dynamo Moscow and Lev will air on ESPN2.

John Davidson, St. Louis' president of hockey operations for six years, is leaving the Blues, team chairman Tom Stillman said. He was hired by the previous ownership group.

Golf

Jonas Blixt shot his second straight 7-under 64 for a share of the 36-hole lead with Brendon de Jonge (66) in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Both were at 14-under 128. Ryan Moore, who tied the TPC Summerlin record Thursday with a 61, was one stroke behind after a 68. John Daly was 10 under after a 63.

Branden Grace shot a 5-under 67 at St. Andrews' Old Course (Scotland) and extended his Dunhill Links Championship lead to five strokes. He's at 17-under 127. Martin Kaymer, one of four Ryder Cup players competing, had a 71 at Kingsbarns to move to 3 under. Peter Hanson (70) was 2 under, Dustin Johnson (71) was 1 under, and Paul Lawrie (70) was 1 over.

South Bay native AJ Allmendinger, in an effort to find a new ride, visited Talladega Superspeedway (Ala.) for his first appearance at a NASCAR event since his July 7 suspension for failing a drug test. He was dropped by Penske Racing three months ago but reinstated by NASCAR last month. "I'm looking, but from reading the Internet, there doesn't seem to be a lot of jobs out there," Allmendinger said.

Jack Beckman topped Funny Car qualifying in the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals in Mohnton, Pa. Coming off Sunday's win in Madison, Ill., he had a track-record run of 3.989 seconds at 320.58 mph in a Dodge.

Miscellany

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic routed Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the China Open in Beijing. On the women's side, top seeds Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova reached the semifinals.

Defending champion Andy Murray moved into the semifinals of the Japan Open with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Stanislas Wawrinka in Tokyo.

Cal State Bakersfield and Utah Valley reportedly were extended full invitations for membership into the WAC starting next fall. That would increase membership to six schools, joining Idaho, New Mexico State, Denver and Seattle.

The Boston Celtics lost the first game of the NBA preseason, 97-91 to Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker in Istanbul. Rookie Jared Sullinger and Jeff Green had 16 points each for the Celtics.

Tina Charles, the WNBA's MVP, had 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead host Connecticut to a 76-64 win over Indiana in the opener of the best-of-three Eastern Conference finals.